Team Herald
PANJIM: The State government is facing strong backlash for leasing out prime public properties in Panjim to casino operators.
Residents of the city are raising their voices against a proposal allowing a multi-storey structure with a Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 300% in the area formerly known as Quarterdeck, which is officially designated as a recreational zone under Panjim’s Outline Development Plan (ODP). The government had reclaimed the land after the previous lessee defaulted on rent, and has now leased it out again on a long-term basis to a private party. An adjacent plot has also been handed over to a casino operator.
Vasco Dias, a local resident, criticised the government’s increasing reliance on casino revenues. “Earlier it was mining; now it's casinos. Public spaces are being taken over, parking is chaotic, and the Mandovi riverfront is choked. The government is completely under the influence of the casino lobby. Soon, Panjim residents will be pushed out and the city will be handed over to casino operators, turning it into a Las Vegas,” he said. He also alleged that enhanced public parking spaces, developed at great expense, are now under private control, and voiced concerns that the Panjim-Betim ferry service might be curtailed to favour casino interests.
Sabina Martins, convenor of Bailancho Saad, condemned the government's move to permit excessive FAR in violation of the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Act. “The ODP 2031 clearly marks Quarterdeck as a recreational space and does not allow 300% FAR. It is a flood-prone area. We cannot let public land be sold off for private profit,” she stated.
Dr Odette Lobo, another Panjim resident, warned of the irreversible damage to the city’s heritage and infrastructure. “There are plans to hand over the old Directorate of Accounts building to set up onshore casinos. Government assets are being mismanaged, and Panjim’s charm is being lost. The Smart City works are incomplete, and roads are repeatedly dug up right after being resurfaced,” she alleged.
The growing discontent reflects widespread concerns about the unchecked expansion of casino interests at the cost of public welfare and urban planning norms.